Lawn mower



DeC- 1932 N. H. MoTslNGER 1,889,931

LAWN MOWER Filed Feb. 24. 1931 QVC? 39425;

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Patented Dec. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES NEWELL II. ivrofrsINGEn, or MARION,INDIANA LAWN MOWER Application filed February 24, 1931. SerialNo.517,684.

The present application relates to a lawn mower,and more particularly toa toy lawn mower of extremely inexpensive construction. Y

The `primary object of the inventionis to provide a lawn mower of thecharacter described which shall be so inexpensive as to be marketable ata very low price, light enough to be handled by a small child, verysimple in construction, and yet sturdy enough to stand up under theabuse to which childrens toys are subjected, and which shall be capableof actually cutting grass. Further objects of the invention will appearas the description proceeds.

To the accomplishmentof the above and related objects, my invention maybe embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawing,attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawing isillustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specificconstructions illustrated and described, so long as the scope of theappended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation ofa lawn mower constructed in accordance withmy invention, parts thereof being broken away for clarity ofillustration;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation in section;

Fig.V 3 is a substantially central section therethrough Fig. 4 is asectional view of a detail;

Fig. 5 isa fragmental perspective view of a modified form; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section of a further embodiment.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4inclusive, it will be seen that my invention contemplates a sheet metalframe 10 comprising apair of substantially parallel ears 11 and 12connected at their lower portions by a cutter bar 13. Preferably, theframe is formed of sheet metal 'stampings, the ear 11 'having a tongue14 punched away and bent inwardly, and the ear l2 having a similartongue 15, the cutter bar 13 being secured to the tongues 14 and 15Vthrough the medium of screws 16.

A yoke 17, preferably comprising a-sheet thereof, partly metalstripformed into a half round channel is provided with forwardly extendingparallel arms y18 and 19 oscillably mounted on a rod 20 extendingbetween and secured to y the portions 22 and 23 of the ears 11 and'12,55 respectively. The ear 11 is provided with a tongue 24 punched out andbent inwardly to form a stop for the arm 18, and the ear 12 is similarlyformedwith a tongue 25 similarly c cooperating with the arm 19. Aswillbe obvious, the tongues 24 and 25 prevent the yoke 17 from oscillating,in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, beyond the positionillustrated in said figures. Adjacent its midpoint, the yoke 17 is pro-,e5 vided with-a pair of upwardly and rearwardly extending half roundprojections 27 and Y 28 forming a socket for ythe lower end of a handlebar 29, said bar being secured in the socket through the medium of arivet 30 pass- 70 ing through said projections and said bar.`

At the upper end of the handle bar 29 there is mounted a handlecomprising a half round strip 31 having projections 32 and 33 embracingthe upper end of the handle bar and secured thereto by a `rivet 34passing through said projections and said bar.

The lower projections 35 and 36 of the ears 11 and 12, respectively, areperforated for the reception of a shaft 37 upon which'is 80 mounted aroller 38 of the usual construction. i

Adjacent its forward end, the ear 12 is formed with a perforation 39surrounded by anyoutwardly projecting annular flange 40. As will beobvious, the perforation and. its flange maybe formed simultaneously by.a punching operation. A tubular rod 41 has its one end 42mounted in thevperforation 39 and extending therethrough vbeyond the 90 ear 11, and hasits opposite end similarly mounted in a similar perforation in the ear12 yand extending beyond said ear; As will be obvi-ousfrom an,inspection of Fig. 2, the diameter of the rod 41 is' somewhat less than95 the diameter of .the perforation 39, and a sleeve 43, having a pressfit on the rod 41 inserted in said perforation, having bearing intheflange 40. The sleeve 43 is preferably formed with an integralperipheral `flange V44 V100 which is adapted to engage the imier surfaceof the ear 11. A similar sleeve is mounted adjacent the opposite end ofrod 41, its flange bearing against the inner surface of ear 12, wherebythe -sleeves with their flanges 44 and 45 hold the rod 41 againstlongitudinal shifting.

On the proj ecting-end 42 o-f the rod 41 there is mounted a wheelindicated` generally at 46 and comprising a base portion 47 and a flange48 projecting inwardly from said base portion. The Wheel 46 ispreferably formed of a single piece of sheet metal stamped uor pressedto the cup shape illustrated. .The

free edge of the fla-nge 48 is notched, as at 49,

to form teeth or castellations fora purpose later to -be described. `Thebase portion 47 of the wheel is 'centrally formedwith a perforation 50surrounded by an inwardly projecting annular flange 51, and the regionimmediately surrounding said perforation is inwardly concaved, as at 52.

The perforation 50 is of a diameter somewhat in excess of the diameterof the end 42 of the rod 41, and a sleeve 53, having a press fit on the-rod end 42 is received within said perforation, having bearing in theflange 51. Preferably the inner Aen-d of the sleeve 53 abuts the outerend of the sleeve 43. The outer 'end of the sleeve 53 is formed with a.peripheralY flange 54 adapted to be received in the concaved portion 52of the wheel base 47, so that said flange 52 lies substantiallyflush'withthe surface ofthe wheelbase 47. A similar wheel 46 is mountedon the oppoi site end of the rod 42.

At a point spaced to the rear and somewhat :below the location of theperforation 39, the ears 1l and 12 are formed with alined perforations.In Fig. 4, the perforation 55 in y .the ear 12 is shown. A `tubularshaft 56 has f leo its ends received insaid perforations and pro jectingoutward-ly beyond the .ears 1.1 and 12. The tubular shaft 56 has`mounted thereon a pair `of carrier members 57 and 58. The meniber57 iscentrally perforated, the perforation being surrounded by an outwardlyprojecting :annular flange 59, and the diameter of the opening throughsaid flange is such as to give the member 57 a press fit `on the shaft56. Said member 57 is mounted on saidshaft adjacent one end thereof withthe flange 59 in abutment, or substantially in abutment, with theinnersurface of the ear 12. rIhe member 58 is similarly formed and is mountedwith its .flange substantially .in contact with the inner -surface `of.the ear 11. l

i As is clearly shown in Figs. 2'and 3, each of the carrier members 57and 58 is formed with two alined slots, said slots being disposed onopposite sides of the .shaft 56. The carrier members are so disposedthat the plane defined by the axis of the shaft 56 and I.the slots inthemember 57 is perpendicular to the .plane defined by the'axis of theshaft 56 and the slots of the member 58. A blade strip 60 is formed atits one end with a reduced portion 61 received in one of the slots ofthe carrier member 57, extending therethrough, and headed over againstthe outer surface of said member, as at 62. A second blade strip 63 issimilarly formed with a reduced extension mounted in the other slot ofthe member 57, extending therethrough, and being headed over as at 65.The opposite end of the blade strip 60'is secured in one slot of thecarrier member 58, its reduced extension being headed over against theouter surface of said member as at 69, and t 1e correspending end of thestrip 63 is similarly secured inthe' othervslotof the member 58, beingheaded over -as at 70. As will be obvious, this arrangement provides fora 90 twist in each of the blade strips 60 and 63. A pinion 66 -is formedwith a central aperture surrounded by an axially projecting annularflange 67, and said flange has a press lit on the projecting end of theshaft 56, the flange substantially abutting the outer surface of the ear12. rI he pinion 66 may be a stamping, formed of sheet metal, teeth 68being formed around its periphery'by cutting notches therein.Preferably, a pinion similar to the pinion 66 is mounted on the oppositeend of the shaft 56, bearing against the outer surfacey of the ear 11.Obviously, the teeth 68 of the pinion or pinions 66 mesh with thecastellations of the flange or flanges 48 ofthe wheel or wheels 46.

As van alternative to the arrangement disclosed in Figs. 1 to 4inclusive, I have illustrated in Fig. 5 a fragment of a wheel 79comprising a base portion 80 and a flange portion 81. In said flangeportion, there are .formed a plurality of punched. holes 82 t adaptedtomesh with the teeth 68 of the pinion 66 mounted on the shaft 56.

A still further form is illustra-ted in Fig. 6, the same comprising awheel71 comprising a base portion 72 and a flange 73. At spaced pointsabout the periphery of the baseportion 72, there are provided punched-uptongues 75. A crown gear 76, preferably comprising .a sheet metalstamping having a perforation therein surrounded by an annular fiangeV77, is adapted to have a press fit on the end of the shaft 56. The gear76 is provided with a plurality of axially projecting teeth 78, 78', and7 8. As will be obvious,

the tongue is illustrated, in Fig. 6, as between the tooth 78 and thetooth 7 8', a portion of which is broken away to permit completeillustration of the tongue 75.

I` claim 'as my invention:

1. In a lawn mower, a frame, a rod mounted transversely in said frame, apair of cupshaped stamped-metal wheelsv mounted at opposite ends of saidrod for rotation with respect to said frame, the bases of said cupshaped`wheels facing outwardlyand the annular flanges of said wheels beingcastellated, a shaft mounted in said frame and paralleling said rod, ablade carried by said shaft, and a gear carried on said shaft andmeshing with the castellations of one of said wheels.

2. In a lawn mower, a frame including a pair of spaced, parallel ears,said ears being formed with alined perforations, a rod mounted in saidperforations, and a pair of sleeves having a press t on said rod andreceived in said respective perforations, each of said sleeves beingformed at one end with a peripheral flange engaging the inner face ofone of said ears. j

3. In a lawn mower, a frame including a pair of spaced, parallel ears,said ears being formed with alined perforations, a rod mounted in saidperforations, a pair of wheels mounted on the projecting ends of saidrod, each of said wheels being formed with an aperture receiving a rodend, and with an inwardly concaved portion surrounding said aperture,and a sleeve Cooperating with each of said wheels, each of said sleeveshaving a press t on said rod, being received in said aperture, and beingprovided with a peripheral flange at its one end received within saidconcaved portion.

4. In a lawn mower, a sheet metal frame including a pair of spaced ears,said ears being formed with alined perforations and each of saidperforations being surrounded by an outwardly projecting annular flangea rod mounted in said erforations and projecting outwardly beyond eachof said ears, a pair of sleeves having a press fit on said rod andreceived in said respective perforations and having bearing within saidrespective flanges, each of said sleeves being formed at one end with aperipheral flange engaging the inner face of one of said ears, a pair ofwheels mounted on the projecting ends of said rod, each of said wheelsbeing formed with an aperture receiving a rod end and surrounded by aninwardly projecting annular flange, and each of said wheels furtherbeing formed with an inwardly concaved portion surrounding saidaperture, and a sleeve having a bearing within said flange of each ofsaid wheels, each of said sleeves having a press fit on said rod, andbeing provided with a peripheral flange at its one end received withinsaid concaved portion.

5. In a lawn mower, a frame, a blade-carrying shaft j ournalled in saidframe, a gear carried on said shaft without said frame, and

a pair of wheels journalled on said frame,

one of said wheels comprising a sheet metal'- disc carrying aperipheral, inwardly-extending flange, and said flange being formed withperforations meshing with the teeth of said gear.

6. In a lawn mower, a sheet-metal frame,

a blade-carrying shaft journalled in said Y frame, a gear carried onsaid shaft without said frame, and a pair of wheels journalled a pair ofalined slots on opposite sides of said shaft, a member parallel withsaid element and having a press fit on said shaft adjacent the other endthereof, said member being formed with a pair of alined vslots onopposite sides of said shaft, the slots of said member having a commonaxis perpendicular to the common axis of the slots of said element, anda pair of blade strips, each of said blade strips having a reducedextension at its one end entered in a slot of said element and headedover against said element, and each of said blade strips having areduced eXtension at'its opposite end entered in a slot of said memberand headed over against said member. v

8. In a lawn mower, a frame including a pair of spaced, parallel ears,said ears being formed with alined perforations, a rod mounted in saidperforations, a pair of wheels mounted onthev projecting ends of saidrod, each of said wheels being formed with an aperture receiving a rodend, and with an inwardly concaved portion surrounding said aperture,and a sleeve cooperating with each of said wheels, each of said sleeveshaving a press fit on said rod, being received in said aperture, andbeing provided with a peripheral flange at its one end received withinsaid concaved portion, one of said wheels being formed withV dentations,acutter reel journalled in said frame, and a toothed element carried bysaid reel and meshing with said dentations.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my

